This is how to store food in the fridge

What to put where and how long to keep it

Can milk go in the fridge door? Do butter and yoghurts need to be stored in a specific place? And what about fruit and veg?

Online food retailer MuscleFood.com has highlighted exactly where you need to be storing food and drink in the fridge.

They’ve worked out the best place for your dairy products, how you should store raw meat and importantly, where the best place in the fridge for wine is, what you need to store your cheese in and if you really need to separate your fruit and veg from one another.

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Darren Beale from MuscleFood.com said: “The one thing you really need to be careful of is cross contaminating raw foods and cooked, ready to eat items. Keeping these foods well sealed and separated in the fridge is the obvious way to do this. Another thing you need to be conscious of is food being spoiled. For example, ethylene is emitted from certain fruits and this can cause fruit and vegetables stored next to them to go off. An important point to remember when filling up the fruit and veg tray."

Butter and yoghurt

Generally, these need to be stored on the top or second shelf of the fridge. As these are ready-to-eat products, they need to be kept away from the raw foods to avoid bacteria transferring. The top shelf of the fridge is a great way to keep these foods separate from others. Dairy products also need to be stored in sealed containers.

Cooked food

Anything cooked is also classed as ‘ready to eat’ so should be stored on the top or second shelf along with the dairy products. Things like ready-made cakes, cooked meat and leftovers all fall into this category.

Milk

Despite many people placing this in the fridge door, milk is best stored on the top or second shelf of the fridge. This is because the shelves are a lot cooler than the door, which is constantly being opened and closed. Milk should also be kept away from strong smelling foods, as it can sometimes pick up on these odours.

Raw meat

Raw meat (including raw poultry and fish) should always be wrapped and sealed tightly. This is to stop the product dripping onto other foods. All raw meat can be stored together. A great place to store it is in the bottom shelf of the fridge. This is to prevent cross-contamination with the ‘ready to eat’ products.

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Cheese

Cheese should never be stored in cling film, as this can really dry the product out, making it go off quicker. When storing cheese the best thing to use is cheese or parchment paper. Unlike the other dairy products, cheese benefits from being in a warmer part of the fridge. The best place to put cheese is in the vegetable drawer. But if you’re worried about the smell, a good idea is to store all your cheeses in a Tupperware box.

Fruit

The bottom trays (also known as the crisper drawers) are best for storing your fruit in. Store them in an organised fashion. Don’t throw them all in together, as some fruits, such as plums, pears, apples and peaches, contain ethylene, which is a chemical that can ripen other fruits and vegetables that are close to it.

Vegetables

Because of the ethylene, it’s best to store fruit in one crisper drawer, and vegetables in the other. Remember to never pile your fragile fruits and veggies on top of one another though, as this can cause bruising. Store them in an organised fashion in these drawers.

Condiments

As condiments are fairly resistant to spoiling, they can be stored in the doors of the fridge. You can also store things like juice and water in the door.

Eggs

Eggs can be stored in the fridge – although don’t keep them in the door. Opening and closing the door will make the eggs expire a lot quicker. The best place for them is the main body of the fridge (top or middle shelf would be best).

Red and white wine

Both red and white wine can be stored in the cupboard before opened, but after that they must be stored in the fridge. These are fine to be placed in the fridge door, but only keep them for a few days.

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